BMC Election Result 2026: BJP Breaks Thackeray Stronghold in North Mumbai, Ending Two-Decade Sena Dominance

Mumbai:
In a major political upset in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections 2026, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has wrested control of a long-standing Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) bastion in North Mumbai, marking the end of over 20 years of Sena dominance in the area. The result is being seen as one of the most surprising outcomes of this fiercely contested civic election.

The biggest shock came from Ward No. 19, which had remained firmly under Shiv Sena control for two decades. Defying expectations, BJP candidate Diksha Kavatankar defeated the Shiv Sena (Thackeray group) nominee Leena Subhash Gudhekar, a member of a family that has traditionally enjoyed strong voter loyalty in the ward.

A Crumbling Bastion

Ward No. 19 was widely considered an exception in North Mumbai, a region otherwise known as a BJP stronghold. Leena Gudhekar’s mother, Shubhada Gudhekar, had served as a corporator from the area three times, earning goodwill through sustained grassroots work. Her son Nikhil Gudhekar, president of Charkopcha Raja, also commanded a strong local organisational network. Given this background, a Sena victory was seen as almost certain.

However, the BJP’s victory overturned these assumptions, signalling a clear shift in voter sentiment.

Changing Political Equations

Adding an intriguing dimension to the contest, Diksha Kavatankar is the daughter of Shrikant Kavatankar, who himself served as a Shiv Sena corporator between 2012 and 2017. Following internal party differences, he left the Sena and joined the BJP in 2017. His political legacy and local influence are believed to have played a crucial role in BJP’s breakthrough.

BJP Surge in North Mumbai

The results underline BJP’s growing grip over North Mumbai, particularly in areas like Kandivali, Borivali and Malad, where Gujarati, Rajasthani and North Indian communities have traditionally leaned towards the party. While the Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena retained influence in select pockets, the loss of Ward No. 19 highlights internal power struggles and erosion of its traditional vote base.

Overall BMC Trends

As per results available till 3:45 PM, the BJP has emerged as the single largest party, leading on 92 seats, and is set to have its first-ever mayor in Mumbai. The seat tally stood as follows:

• BJP: 92
• Shiv Sena (Shinde faction): 26
• Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction): 60
• MNS: 9
• Congress: 12
• NCP: 3
• Others: 8

A Political Message

The BMC election results are being viewed as a decisive verdict against the Thackeray brothers in what was considered a prestige battle. The BJP’s capture of a traditional Sena stronghold not only reshapes Mumbai’s civic power structure but also sends a strong political signal ahead of future state-level contests.